Monthly Archives: April 2014

Travelers worldwide have come to expect top-notch security whether a flight takes them to an airport terminal at Chicago O’Hare International Airport, London Heathrow Airport, or Haneda Airport in Toyko.

Security is an expected part of the airport travel experience, starting from the moment people enter the parking garage with their vehicle, as a person walks up to the ticket counter at the airport, and as they go through the security screening checkpoint for passengers.

According to The International Air Transport Association, airlines project 3.6 billion passengers globally in 2016. The IATA has identified Latin America as an emerging economy that will see the strongest passenger growth.

Despite all airports around the globe being required to meet a minimum set of security requirements, every location has a slightly different take on the type of access control solution deployed to manage the coming and goings of employees, or the video system used to monitor passengers.

At 12 airports across the Pacific Coast in Mexico, the company that manages these airports has recognized the benefits of taking an integrated and standardized approach with its security.

The Pacific Airport Group (PAC), which manages airports in Los Cabos, Tijuana, Mexicali, Guadalajara and other locations in Mexico, reports more than 21.3 million passengers traveled through its terminals in 2012. Needing to upgrade its security technology and move from a standalone security approach, PAC decided it was time to integrate its cameras, recording devices and video management software with its access control system.

While an integrated approach isn’t unique, the standardization at multiple locations is what sets this project apart as many airports had previously installed standalone security solutions. In addition, the integration of cameras, recording devices and video management software with the access control system was a priority at each terminal since the objective was to have sufficient information at a moment’s notice in case an unauthorized individual crossed a critical access point.

In total, the PAC reports 910 cameras installed, all managed by American Dynamics recording systems, including VideoEdge NVRs. In addition, the access control component of the project is built around the C∙CURE 9000 event management system from Software House.

The scale and the scope of the PAC project alone is a testament to the progress being made relating to security at airports around the world. The next time you take flight to the Pacific Coast of Mexico, you can be assured the access and video surveillance systems here are some of the best in the industry.

What road blocks have you encountered when trying to integrate access control and video security integrations across multiple facilities? Please leave me a comment below.